Switching to Sprint from Verizon, transferring number and ETF questions

HowardForums is a discussion board dedicated to mobile phones with over 1,000,000 members and growing!

For your convenience HowardForums is divided into 7 main sections; marketplace, phone manufacturers, carriers, smartphones/PDAs, general phone discussion, buy sell trade and general discussions. Just scroll down to see them!

Only registered members may post questions, contact other members or search our database of over 8 million posts. Why don't you join us today!

Switching to Sprint from Verizon, transferring number and ETF questions

Hi all,

I'm on a family plan w/ verizon (5 lines, mine is not the main) and i got notice for my new phone every 2 at the start of august. so i started looking at new phones from all over, and fell in love with HTC Hero and android and found it was coming out in Sprint (FCC approval just made public this week).

Anyway i figured my contract was up with the NE2 notice, after digging deeper i found out my contract is up 12/3/09. Waiting til then for my HTC Hero is something i dont want to do if it comes out earlier (10/11 is rumored date)

Does Verizon generate an ETF based on how many months you have left? If so would anyone know what that amount may be with less then 7 weeks to go on a contract?

If it makes financial sense to keep the Verizon line active for 2 months while I get sprint and a new number, could i then transfer & replace my number on 12/4/09? [not an ideal situation i know, but i heard the ETF can be like $175]

anything else I should know about transferring a number between carriers? I've never done so before

I'm on a family plan w/ verizon (5 lines, mine is not the main) and i got notice for my new phone every 2 at the start of august. so i started looking at new phones from all over, and fell in love with HTC Hero and android and found it was coming out in Sprint (FCC approval just made public this week).

Anyway i figured my contract was up with the NE2 notice, after digging deeper i found out my contract is up 12/3/09. Waiting til then for my HTC Hero is something i dont want to do if it comes out earlier (10/11 is rumored date)

Does Verizon generate an ETF based on how many months you have left? If so would anyone know what that amount may be with less then 7 weeks to go on a contract?

If it makes financial sense to keep the Verizon line active for 2 months while I get sprint and a new number, could i then transfer & replace my number on 12/4/09? [not an ideal situation i know, but i heard the ETF can be like $175]

anything else I should know about transferring a number between carriers? I've never done so before

thanks for your time.

By getting a phone with Sprint and having Sprint service, is fine, but you will be losing the network, a phone is only as good as the network, it is on.

I'm on a family plan w/ verizon (5 lines, mine is not the main) and i got notice for my new phone every 2 at the start of august. so i started looking at new phones from all over, and fell in love with HTC Hero and android and found it was coming out in Sprint (FCC approval just made public this week).

Anyway i figured my contract was up with the NE2 notice, after digging deeper i found out my contract is up 12/3/09. Waiting til then for my HTC Hero is something i dont want to do if it comes out earlier (10/11 is rumored date)

Does Verizon generate an ETF based on how many months you have left? If so would anyone know what that amount may be with less then 7 weeks to go on a contract?

If it makes financial sense to keep the Verizon line active for 2 months while I get sprint and a new number, could i then transfer & replace my number on 12/4/09? [not an ideal situation i know, but i heard the ETF can be like $175]

anything else I should know about transferring a number between carriers? I've never done so before

thanks for your time.

I'm not trying convince you to stay with Verizon but you are switching carriers for absolutely the wrong reason--phone selection. If sprint will afford you better coverage then by all means switch but of the top ten reasons to choose a carrier 1-10 are coverage Think about owning a great new phone that can't make a call.

FWIW, I sort of agree with the other poster. I don't know that switching carriers only for a particular handset is always the best idea. If you do go ahead and get the Hero, use the 30-day trial period to ensure that you have adequate service in all of the places that you frequent before porting your number over.

Since you got two replies that really didn't help in regards to your quesitons, I'll try to help.

If I'm not mistake, the ETF will be prorated.

As far as anything else you should know about transferring your number. Its easier if you just take in your Verizon bill. Sprint will need your account number from Verizon. In most cases the transfer only takes a few hours.

I know some Verizon customers think its the end all be all but there are cases that Sprint, ATT or Tmobile will have better coverage than Verizon in certain areas. Its not fair for someone to make blanket statements and say Verizon is the best cell provider for everyone.

Sure maybe Sprint works a little better than Verizon is certain areas, but if you look at the majority of the US, Verizon covers more than anyone. I realize some do not agree with this but it is true. I will tell you now that Verizon owns Alltel, I just can not see people really saying this is not the case. I will also say, if coverage, is not good where you live, but every where else you go, Verizon works better than Sprint, then the network extender, is the best way to go.

FWIW, I sort of agree with the other poster. I don't know that switching carriers only for a particular handset is always the best idea. If you do go ahead and get the Hero, use the 30-day trial period to ensure that you have adequate service in all of the places that you frequent before porting your number over.

I guess its ok to flame other users again on here.

That said, the network is important, without a reliable network, which he may not get with Sprint in his area, the phone would make a fine paperweight.

As for the ETF, you're correct about $5 less for each month it is in contract.

I am no longer an employee of VZW, I left on good terms and still think VZW is the best network in the U.S. and most helpful CSR's in any industry.

You say your contract is up on 12/3/09. You get an NE2 two months before your contract end date, and you may even be able to get some subsidized pricing up to two months before that. So check with VZW to see if you can upgrade before you switch and pay the ETF.

Yes, the ETF should be pro-rated. I would verify this with VZW before porting out though. I simple call to customer service to ask what your ETF will be certainly won't hurt, but I would have the rep you talk to note it on the account to avoid any future troubles if they mischarge you.

You will need the Name/Account Number/Last 4 digits of the SSN/PIN code (if there is one) from the Verizon Wireless account.

Regarding the Sprint vs. Verizon comment. I've had all the national carriers in the last year and at my home I get 5/5 bars on Sprint but 2/5 on Verizon. But when I travel to my grandmothers 7 miles away it's exactly the opposite. Your coverage will vary with any provider, but keep this in mind... Sprint can roam on any CDMA carrier (Verizon included), so you will have coverage anywhere a Verizon customer would (barring the fact that your phone CAN hold onto a weak Sprint signal before it tries to roam). I find that here in New Jersey, Sprint has 95% of the coverage that Verizon does for 60% of the price (in my case - 27% discount per month).

You say your contract is up on 12/3/09. You get an NE2 two months before your contract end date, and you may even be able to get some subsidized pricing up to two months before that. So check with VZW to see if you can upgrade before you switch and pay the ETF.

Your ETF if you were to port-out now would be $80.00. It starts at $175.00 and drops by $5.00 each month, to the lowest amount of $60.00. Research your options thoroughly, don't be the first to get a new phone you haven't seen to much of and choose whichever carrier offers the best plans, phones and service for you.

To the rest of you: keep your opinions to yourself and stop derailing threads.